• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• 제31권5호
• /
• pp.328-332
• /
• 2019

Purpose: This study examined the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the static balance ability of patients with back pain. Methods: The subjects comprised of 30 males and females in their 20s, who were divided into two groups with and without tDCS. The balance posture ratio score was calculated to determine the changes in balance ability before and after the application of tDCS using balance equipment. A paired t-test was conducted to determine the changes over time, and an independent t-test was performed to determine the changes between the groups. The significance level was set to ${\alpha}=0.05$. Results: A significant difference in the changes in the static balance ability of CTDCSG between before and after applying tDCS was observed while the subjects' eyes were open (p<0.05). A comparison between the groups after the experiments revealed significantly increased changes in CTDCSG compared to STDCSE (p<0.05). The changes in static balance ability were not significant when the subjects' eyes were closed (p>0.05). Conclusion: The application of tDCS positively changed the static balance ability of patients with back pain. The results of this study showed that tDCS could be used as an intervention to increase the static balance ability of patients with back pain in the clinical field. The study results could be used further as foundational data for future studies on tDCS.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• 제22권6호
• /
• pp.91-98
• /
• 2010

Neurostimulation approaches have been developed and explored to modulate neuroplastic changes of cortical function in human brain. As one of the most primary noninvasive tools, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) was extensively studied in the field of neuroscience. The alternation of cortical neurons depending on the polarity of the tDCS has been used for improving cognitive processing including working memory, learning, and language in normal individuals, as well as in patients with neurological or psychiatric diseases. In addition, tDCS has great advantages: it is a non-invasive, painless, safe, and cost-effective approach to enhance brain function in normal subjects and patients with neurological disorders. Numerous previous studies have confirmed the efficacy of tDCS. However, tDCS has not been considered for clinical applications and research in the field of physical therapy. Therefore, this review will focus on the general principles of tDCS and its related application parameters, and provide consideration of motor behavioral research and clinical applications in physical therapy.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• 제34권2호
• /
• pp.156-164
• /
• 2021

Several types of pain occur following spinal cord injury (SCI); however, neuropathic pain (NP) is one of the most intractable. Invasive and non-invasive brain stimulation techniques have been studied in clinical trials to treat chronic NP following SCI. The evidence for invasive stimulation including motor cortex and deep brain stimulation via the use of implanted electrodes to reduce SCI-related NP remains limited, due to the small scale of existing studies. The lower risk of complications associated with non-invasive stimulation, including transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), provide potentially attractive alternative central neuromodulation techniques. Compared to rTMS, tDCS is technically easier to apply, more affordable, available, and potentially feasible for home use. Accordingly, several new studies have investigated the efficacy of tDCS to treat NP after SCI. In this review, articles relating to the mechanisms, clinical efficacy and safety of tDCS on SCI-related NP were searched from inception to December 2019. Six clinical trials, including five randomized placebo-controlled trials and one prospective controlled trial, were included for evidence specific to the efficacy of tDCS for treating SCI-related NP. The mechanisms of action of tDCS are complex and not fully understood. Several factors including stimulation parameters and individual patient characteristics may affect the efficacy of tDCS intervention. Current evidence to support the efficacy of utilizing tDCS for relieving chronic NP after SCI remains limited. Further strong evidence is needed to confirm the efficacy of tDCS intervention for treating SCI-related NP.

• 대한통합의학회지
• /
• 제7권4호
• /
• pp.273-282
• /
• 2019

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to provide the effective method for exercise therapy in soccer player. Methods : 30 soccer players were recruited for subjects. The subjects were divided to dynamic stretching exercise combined tDCS (Group I), dynamic stretching exercise combined Sham-tDCS (Group II) of which 15 subjects were randomly allocated. The subjects were given 3 hour of soccer skill and performance and additionally given 20 minutes of dynamic stretching exercise combined tDCS and sham-tDCS for each group, five times a week, for 6 weeks. Their muscle activity and jump performance were analyzed before the intervention. After 6 weeks of the intervention, the mentioned parameters were measured once more for between-group analysis. Results : Comparative analysis of the muscle activity and jump performance between the groups I and groups II showed statistically significant difference. Conclusion : Such results revealed that dynamic stretching exercise combined with tDCS is effective in muscle activity and jump performance. Based on the current study, more effective program is to be proposed for neurologic and musculoskelectal disorder as well as soccer player. Based on the current study, studies that incorporates various combine of variable is required for development of effective tDCS program.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• 제26권6호
• /
• pp.386-390
• /
• 2014

Purpose: We aimed to investigate whether visuomotor function would be modulated, when healthy subjects performed tracking task after tDCS application over the primary sensorimotor cortex (SM1) in the non-dominant hemisphere. Methods: Thirty four right-handed healthy participants were enrolled, who randomly and evenly divided into two groups, real tDCS group and sham control group. Direct current with intensity of 1 mA was delivered over SM1 for 15 minutes. After tDCS, tracking task was measured, and their performance was calculated by an accuracy index (AI). Results: No significant difference in AI at the baseline between the two groups was observed. The AI of the real tDCS group was significantly increased after electrical stimulation, compared to the sham control group. Two way ANOVA with repeated measurement showed a significant finding in a large main effects of time and group-by-repeated test interaction. Conclusion: This study indicated that application of the anodal tDCS over the SM1 could facilitate higher visuomotor coordination, compared to sham tDCS group. These findings suggest possibility that tDCS can be used as adjuvant brain modulator for improvement of motor accuracy in healthy individuals as well as patients with brain injury.

• 한국산학기술학회논문지
• /
• 제20권9호
• /
• pp.127-132
• /
• 2019

주의 집중력은 워킹메모리에 속하며 경두개직류전기자극은 워킹메모리를 향상시키는데 효과적이다. 본 연구는 경두개직류전기자극(Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, tDCS)이 대학생들의 주의집중력에 미치는 영향에 대해 알아보기 위해 연구를 진행하였다. 본 연구는 대상자 37명의 대학생($23.08{\pm}3.33$세)을 대상으로 tDCS그룹과 대조군으로 두 그룹으로 나누어 2018년 9월 3일부터 28일까지 연구를 진행하였다. tDCS그룹은($n_1=19$) 2mA로 13분씩 2회 26분간 적용하였으며, 대조군($n_2=18$)은 패드를 붙인 후 작동을 시키지 않았고 13분씩 2회 26분간 적용하였다. 연구는 주 3회 총 4주간 총 12회 진행되었다. 주의 집중력을 확인하기 위하여 뇌전도(Electroencephalogram) 검사를 하였으며, 연구결과 tDCS그룹이 주의집중력이 증가할수록 증가하는 SMR파(Sensory motor rhythm, p<0.01, 95% CI: -1.955, -0.459), 중간 베타파(p<0.05; 95% CI: 0.027, 0.943) 그리고 파워 비율(SMR+중간베타파/ 세타파, p<0.01, 95% CI: -1.764, -0.315)에서 유의한 향상을 보였다. 그러나 집중력 하락시 증가하는 세타파는 유의한 감소를 얻지 못했다(p>0.05). 결과값과 같이 tDCS적용시 주의집중력의 유의한 향상을 보였으며 본 연구를 기반으로 발전시켜 주의력 결핍환자들에게 적용에 대한 기초 자료로 사용될 수 있을 것이다.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• 제15권3호
• /
• pp.111-120
• /
• 2015

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a significant role in establishing self-tolerance through their ability to present self-antigens to developing T cells in the thymus. DCs are predominantly localized in the medullary region of thymus and present a broad range of self-antigens, which include tissue-restricted antigens expressed and transferred from medullary thymic epithelial cells, circulating antigens directly captured by thymic DCs through coticomedullary junction blood vessels, and peripheral tissue antigens captured and transported by peripheral tissue DCs homing to the thymus. When antigen-presenting DCs make a high affinity interaction with antigen-specific thymocytes, this interaction drives the interacting thymocytes to death, a process often referred to as negative selection, which fundamentally blocks the self-reactive thymocytes from differentiating into mature T cells. Alternatively, the interacting thymocytes differentiate into the regulatory T (Treg) cells, a distinct T cell subset with potent immune suppressive activities. The specific mechanisms by which thymic DCs differentiate Treg cells have been proposed by several laboratories. Here, we review the literatures that elucidate the contribution of thymic DCs to negative selection and Treg cell differentiation, and discusses its potential mechanisms and future directions.

• 대한정형도수물리치료학회지
• /
• 제23권2호
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2017

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects on static balance and disability in chronic low back pain with lumbar rotation extension subgroup of trascranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and lumbar motor control exercise (MCE). Methods: In 40 male low back pain with lumbar rotation extension subgroup subjects were recruited for the study. Subjects were randomly allocated into two groups. Experimental groups received tDCS and MCE, Control groups received sham-tDCS and MEC. Before and after intervention, measured in surface area, whole path length and Roland-Morris low back pain questionnaire (RMQ). Results: Showed a significant static balance and disability from the experimental groups compared to the control group. Showed a no significant RMQ score from experimental groups compared to the control group. Conclusions: tDCS and lumbar MCE showed the increased static balance in chronic low back pain with lumbar rotation extension subgroup.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• 제10권1호
• /
• pp.76-81
• /
• 2021

Objective: Smartphone addiction can cause forward head posture, carpal tunnel syndrome and depression, and anxiety. Various interventions have been proposed to resolve Smartphone addiction. However, research regarding the efficacy of these interventions remains lacking. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of tDCS (Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation) on smartphone addiction solution and stress reduction. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: The participants were divided randomly into two group (tDCS vs. Control). tDCS was applied to 41 adults (22.95±2.76 years). The tDCS group was applied 2 mA, for 13 minutes twice over a 26 minute period (n₁ = 21). The control (n₂ = 20) was not applied after padding and was applied twice for 13 minutes over a 26 minute period. This study was conducted four times a week for a total of four weeks. Results: Smartphone addiction for tDCS showed significant improvement in the results in the S-score (p<0.05, 95% CI: 0.702, 4.922), and the result of heart rate (HR) and skin conductivity (SC) to stress. The tDCS group and control group showed no significant decrese in the results in the HR (p>0.05, 95% CI: -3.390, 8.332), but tDCS group showed significant decrese in the results in the SC (p<0.05, 95% CI: 0.060, 1.343) Conclusions: This study suggected that smartphone addiction treatment and decreses of stress. The use of tDCS will reduce the addiction rate of adults and reduce stress, so that possible side effects in society can be solved.

• 대한통합의학회지
• /
• 제10권2호
• /
• pp.105-113
• /
• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on muscle activity, including 10 m WT, TUG, and BBS, in hemiplegic stroke patients. Methods: This study was conducted on 42 inpatients diagnosed with hemiplegia due to stroke at hospital B in Daejeon for more than 6 months. Walking training was conducted for six weeks, five times a week for 30 minutes, with a general walking group (14 people), tDCS walking group (14 people), and tDCS (sham) walking group (14 people). Results: As a result of the study, the change in the muscle activity before and after tDCS intervention was significantly increased in the tibialis anterior muscle in the CG group. In the EG group, the erector spine (lumbar), rectus femoris, and tibialis anterior muscles significantly increased. In the SEG group, significant increases were observed in the rectus femoris and tibialis anterior muscles. Significant differences were found in the rectus femoris and tibialis anterior muscles in the comparison between groups after intervention according to tDCS application. Also, 10 m WT, TUG, and BBS were significantly increased in the CG, EG, and SEG groups after intervention, and there were significant differences in 10 m WT, TUG, and BBS in comparison between groups after intervention according to tDCS application. Conclusion: As a result, tDCS is an effective in improving the walking ability of stroke patients, and in particular, it effectively increases the muscle activity of the rectus femoris and tibialis anterior muscles, which act directly on walking, and also improves the speed and stability of walking. It is considered being an effective method to increase the gait of stroke patients by combining it with the existing gait training.